The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-24
A MURDER BY UNKNOWN MEN
The Assault Upon George DeBurger, the
Car-Driver, Causes His Death.
Mysterious Circumstances Surrounding the
Bloody Crime, the Only Witness of
Which Was Twelve Year-Old Girl.

Whlle coming In on MS last trip on Saturday
night, died yesterday morning, at o'clock.
wi thout having recovered consciousness to tell
If he knew, who his nurderers were. The best
detectives the Metropolitan police force
worked hard all day yesterday searching for a
clew that would lead to the arrest of the perpe-
traitors Of the crime. but when they met to ex-
change notes last evening the mystery surround
ing the crime was profound as when they be.
gan work It seems evident that the murderers
had no purpose of robbery, for the moneybox
on the car and the watch the body OF the
murdered man were not disturbed.
The particulars, as they came to light yssser-
day morning, show that the murder is Of
the most brut al that has ever occurred in this
city. The car was the last to leave the turn
table at Schmidts brewery, and started for ir 8
trip to the stable without q passenger. From
the meagre evidence at hand, it seems that near
thecorner of Delaware and Merrill streets,
three men emerged from alley and began
hurting powders at DeBur ger. One of the
powders struck him. and he fell forward upon
the dashboard of his platform. Seeing they
had stunned him. the men rushed upon him,
and one of them struck him several b lows over
the head with heavy piece Of iron which he
carried. AT ter this had been done they threw
him over the dashboard, under the heels of the
mules, and fed, to allow the cars to pass over
his body.
There was but one witness to the crime, so far
as known and that Emma Martin, the
twelve-year-old daughter of William Martin,
living at No. 24l South Delaware street She
had started on an errand to the grocery store of
Peter Zimmer a half-square away. and was
several doors from her own home when she saw
the assault az it is here described Her atten-
tion, che says, first attracted by the
powders striking the car, second later she
saw the driver fall forward as if hit, and then
the men rushed upon him, one of them carrying
. long piece of iron in his hand. Several blows
were struck, abe says, and then the three assail-
ants Of the driver fed All Of this occurred in
less than two minutes. aud was done without
The car being stopped. She says there were
three of the men, but she is unable to give a
minute description OF them and
says she would not know them
them again. Frightened by the scene, she
rushed back to her fathers house to tell him of
it. but before she could tell the story Mrs Sny-
der, living at the corner OF McCar.y street and
Madison avenue, came along, on her way home
from market. She saw the man lying on the
track. and, supposing he was drunk, hurred
into Zimmer's grocery store and told Mr. Zim-
mer the fellow had better be removed. or he
would be run over Mr.. thinner went out
and found the man unable to speak. While he
was trying to rouse him, two young men,
smooth-faced, came up and made some light re-
mark about the injured man. like Get up and
go home, you old boozer." After Mr.. thinner
discovered De Burger was In dying condition.
the young mon manifested q great deal of interest
in the case, and helped carry him to the Office Of
DR.. Smith, near by. The detectives working
the case believe the young men were two of the
three connected with the crime. The descrip-
ton of them given by Mr.. thinner talliss almost
exactly with that given by Miss Martin OF two
OF the men who did the bloody W ork.
slight examination by Doctor Smith re-
veaed that the mans right arm was br oxen and
that his skull was fractured near the base OF
the brain. Besides he was cut in several places
on the head and face. He was sent to his home,
No. 10 Sharpe street, and there received the at
tention of Doctors carp and Sutclff. They
found his injuries of fatal nature, and could
do nothing but ease his pain. The physicians
tried TO get some information from him about
the assault upon him, but only few broken
sentences were uttered b. him. Once he said
to Doctor Sutcliff: II know the men. see them
every day. 1 know their faces. but don't
know their names" Another time. when half
derious, he said: ~ know him now 1t was
Garr"-or Carr-the physicians could not under
stand which. The only description of his assail-
ants the dying man could, give was that they
died he said the man who struck the blow
an old car-driver. but he could not give his name.
He was delirious, though when he made this
last statement
Yesterday afternoon the police learned that
the men had been put out of VIM. Rosebrock's
saloon near the scene Of the murder. and they
thought this furnished a clew. After several
hours work the names Of the young men were
ascertained, and they were found. They
showed. though, that they had gone home early.
and the officers felt satisfied that they could not
have been connected with the murder. and
turned their investigation in other directions
There are men under suspicion. and while there
against them, it is believed that there may be
more developments to-day.
Coroner Wagner held an inquest over the
body yesterday afternoon, and found that |
death resulted from blow on the |
back OF the head from blunt instru-
ment. Notwithstanding the statement OF |
car having passed over the body. While nearly |
avery bone in the right arm was broken. the |
sleeve of the overcoat he wore bore marks of |
the wheel and the theory of the physician
is that the arm was broken in wardine off the |
blows of the iron bar in the hands of the MUIR
isrer. However that may be, Dr. Wagner says |
the blow on the back of the head was tho cause
Of death.
The crimo created great deal of excitement
among the laboring men of the South Side,
among whom Mr.. DeBurger was very popular.
He was thirty five years of age, and married
man. with four small children His family is left
destitute. Two months ago Mr.. DeBurger be-
came sick with typhoid fever, and only three
weeks ago recovered sufficiently to return to
work. Soon after his recovery q small son be-
came i'll with the same disease. and is still sick.
His youngest child is but eight days old. and
there are fears that the excitement and grief of
bis wife may result fatally. Hundreds of work
ngmen called at the little cottage where the re-
mains lay yesterday afternoon. and there
,ommon talk of not waiting for the law to take
is regular course il the guilty parties should be
found.
Colonel johnson, of the street-car company,
says he will not spare money in employing the
pest detectives to ferret out the crime, and in
he punishment of the men if they are found
Yesterday afternoon he offered a
ward of 5000 for the arrest and
riction OF the murdsrers He notified the
undertaken yesterday afternoon that
10 would bear the expense of the funeral of the
lead man, and he will also look after the
'ort of the widow and children for q time. The
murdered man will be buried tomorrow morn
ng under the direction of his fellow car-drivers.